Live your fantasy and drive your dream car in Vegas

If you’re ready for a thrill of a lifetime by getting behind the wheel of your dream car, Las Vegas makes it happen.

For those who like to live in the fast lane, you can have a wild weekend in Vegas. If you’ve always wanted to zoom in ones of these puppies (without having to spend your life savings on buying one), this city has a variety of race car adventures to choose from.

Exotics Racing

Lamborghini Gallardo (photo courtesy of Exotics Racing)

If you’re a fan of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porche, Aston Martin and Audi models and always dreamed of pushing the pedal to the metal on one of these bad boys, Exotics Racing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway offers just that.

“[You'll] have the chance to drive on a race track with no speed limits,” said Josh Martin, director of marketing for Exotics Racing.

Even if this is something you’ve never done before, you’ll feel at ease with one-on-one coaching time from a professional instructor. Even if you don’t drive a manual transmission, cars can be driven in automatic. Once you build up your confidence level, the real fun begins.

“You’ll get to see what these exotic cars can do and how much fun they are to drive in a safe environment,” he said. ”One of my favorite cars in our fleet is the Audi R8 V10. Having a 525 HP V10 engine, the Audi R8 was exclusively designed by Audi’s high performance division and is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo platform.”

“Quite often people have told us how much they can’t wait to come back,” he continued. “Because our fleet of cars continues to grow and expand, someone who visited last year will have fun choosing something new to drive this year.”

Fans of NASCAR will love to zoom 137 miles per hour in a V-8 NASCAR-style stock car that roars with 600 horsepower. During your eight-lap spin around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on this Richard Petty Rookie Driving Experience, your professional instructor will guide you step by step as you take it to the limit. You’ll be racing like a pro in no time.

Get behind the wheel of this beauty - a Ferrari F430 GT (photo courtesy of Dream Racing).

For those who really like living on the edge, Dream Racing offers a chance to drive the Ferrari 430 GT, an actual race car that is considered illegal to drive on the streets.

“[What’s] better than feeling the power and excitement of being behind the wheel of a true racing machine?” said Jodie Sacco, vice president of sales and marketing at Dream Racing.

“Formally used in the Ferrari challenges globally, the response and power of the car is like nothing you will ever experience,” said Sacco. “The largest thrill is felt through the power-packed 1.1-mile race course that includes nine turns and a scream-induced straightaway.”

Dream Racing features six of these revving on the track, with a total of 12 in its fleet.

“The feedback has always been positive and consistent,” said Sacco. “They find amazement in the cars. We hear when guests step off the raceway they want to come back for more. No experience has cars with more muscle than the Ferrari 430 GT, the spotlight of the entire experience.”

This tour picks up and drops off from Crystals at CityCenter. The experience also includes a 3-D simulator session with professional instruction before fully suiting up and taking to the wheel of this racing machine. Even if you’re not planning to race, the tour includes transportation for an additional guest, as well as access to the Dream Racing lounge.

Supercar Tours

Photo courtesy of World Class Driving.

If you want to take these exotic supercars to the streets, then World Class Driving’s Supercar Toursis your best bet.

“Nothing compares with the thrill of piloting a world-class supercar,” said Aaron Fessler, CEO of World Class Driving. “[Choose] from a selection of different supercars in a round-trip public road tour on some of the most stunning public roads outside Vegas.”

Offering Red Rock and Hoover Dam tours, World Class Driving is home to 20 exotic cars, including the latest models from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Jaguar and much more.

During your experience at Red Rock, you’ll get behind the wheel of three supercars while cruising on an open road through the breathtaking mountains. Or, opt for the Hoover Dam tour and test out four supercars, switching out at designated checkpoints.

“The magical Ferrari 458 Italia is our most popular exotic,” he said. “Its brilliant handling — thanks to cutting-edge dual-clutch gearbox – and crushing good looks make it the ideal supercar. After less than eight months in Vegas, we’ve already given thousands the experience of a lifetime.”

Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati

How would you like to drive back to your town with your ultimate dream car? Who knows — you might hit the jackpot in Vegas! Located inside Wynn Las Vegas, Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati is Nevada’s only factory-authorized Ferrari dealership. The showroom includes a brand-new and pre-owned collection like a 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia for $300,000 or the 2005 Ferrari 430 Coupe for $140,000. In addition, the spacious walkway allows you to admire and read about each car at your own pace. There are two floors of shining beauties to admire, so make sure you give yourself time to look around.

Located inside Imperial Palace, fans of the old-school automobiles will dig The Auto Collections. It’s not every day you get to see rows and rows of Rolls Royce cars as well as old-school Ferraris, Corvettes, Impalas, Volkswagen Beetles, military vehicles and much more. While a lot of cars are for display only, there are plenty you can buy and take home. If you’re really ready to splurge and a Rolls Royce is the only way to go, why not go with the 1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V PV23 (James Young Limousine) for $400,000? One car, such as the 1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Car, is so pricey, you have to ask one of the staff about the price. This award-winning vehicle is only one of four that exist in the world.